Manufacture of nonplaniform fibrous articles



M. KOPPELMAN MANUFACTURE OF NONPLANIFORM FIBROUS ARTICLES 5 Feb. 22 1927.

4 Sheets-Shet l Filed July 16, 1926,

MM HS u gwue/ntoz Feb. 22, 1937'.

. 1,618,289 M. KOPPELMAN MANUFACTURE OF NONPIJANIFORH FIBROUS ARTICLES I -File 1 July 16, 1926 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Qvwento;

asi wauow 5 g! Q Feb: 22,1921. 1,618,289

M. KOPPELMAN I MANUFACTURE OF NONPLANIF'ORM FIBROUS ARTICLES I Filed July 16. 1926 4 Sheets-Sheet 5 Feb. '22, 1927. 1,618,289

M. KOPPELMAN umumcrinks or NONPLANIFORM rxsnous' ARTICLES Filed Jun 16. 1926. 4'Sheets-Sheet 4' Patented Feb. 22, 192?.

moans xorrnmran, or amount, NEWYOBK.

EANUFAUFUBE OI NONPLANIFOBH FIBROUS ABiTIOLES.

Application medium 10, 1020. Serial no. ream.

' The improvements relate primarily to the manufacture of nonplaniform sheets of.fibrous sheet material, such as carriers and packing for eggs and other fragile ,or easily i njured articles which are made in sheets and have recesses and protuberances to holdand protect the said articles. Such packing is commonly formed by passing foraminous dies on forms through a liquid in which loose fibres such as wood pulp, are suspended, while maintainiugsuctiou on one side of the forms to draw the fibres against them and form a sheet or layer conforming thereto in contour, then drying the sheets thus formed and removingthem. An example of a machine for this purpose is described in ai'co-pending application to me and another filed April 15, 1922, Serial Number 553,139, to which reference may be had for details of construction and operation not herein set forth.

In the said co-pendin application the dies or forms are mount 'on the periphery of a rotating drum and as they pass through the pulp bath are subjected to suction maintained in the interior 6f the drum, by means of suction conduits having their open ends or suction heads in close proximity to the inner surface of said forms, are carried up out of the bath by the rotation of the drum while subjected to suction and in this manner partly dried, and are then pressed by dies on the outer periphery of another drum A and removed by air pressure applied from within the first drum at the proper point, and conveyed to and through a drying apparatus by a travelling belt or apron.

\Vitli the present improvements the-pressing drum and conveying apron are supplanted by an endless carrier having forms thereon complemental to the forms of the drum and so constructed and operated as to take the undried sheets from the first drum, after pressing them to a satisfactoryextent, and convey them through the drier, while holding them in theirv molded form until they are thoroughly dried and set, by reason of their close' engagement with. the said forms thereon, thus avoiding shrinkage, warping and curling, and securing other important advantages in connection with the formation, handling, dryingand delivery of the sheets. i

The objects and advantages of the improvements will be fully apparent to those skilled inthe art.

The improvements are illustrated in' the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 IS a s de elevation of-a machine embodying and adapted to carry out theimprovements.

Figure 2 is a top plan view of the same, with the upper part of the machine cut away on the line 2-2 of Figure 1. Figure 3 is an enlarged detail in plan of two of the dies or forms' Figure 4 is an elevation of-the left handend of the machine as shown in Figure 1, with the bottom frame broken away and part of the forms and their carr ers removed. Figure 5 is an end elevation of the drum, with its forms, with the other parts of the machine'cut away sub stantially von the line 5-5 of Figure 1; and Figure 6 1s a diagrammatic side view of a partly modified form of the machine, and

showing means for 'drying and removing the sheets, and adapted to be employed for the production of a continuous web or sheet.

The frame of the machine consists of the base 1, mounted on a suitable stand 2, and having end uprights-4 and 5 and connecting horizontal top members 6 and 7, also middle upright supports 8 and 9.

The pulp bath is contained'in a tank 10 'supportedvin the base and having .a valve" controlled conduit 11 through which the li uid of the bath is supplied and by Whlll it may be drained.

The drum 12 is mounted for rotation on hollow axles 13 and 14:, the former providing a suction and the latter a pressure conduit after the manner of the similar parts illustrated in the said co-pending application, and the suction and pressure tubes in- .side the drum being preferably arranged as shown therein. These features, however, form no part of the present improvements, and any suitable mounting of the drum and arrangement of the suction and pressure conduits, distribution tubes and chambers may be employed. a It is advisable, however, that first pressure acting against the sheets in the presence of suction be employed to The drumhas hubs 15 and 16 through Y which the hollow axles 13 and 14- extend, and by which it is mounted for rotation thereon, and fixed to these hubs are sprocket wheels 17 and 18 with peripheral teeth 19 to engage and propel the endless carrier. The periphery oi. the drum is octagonal in form and has fixed thereon frames 20 of foraminous material hinged together, as shown at 21, and carrying protuberances 22 of the same material and preferably formed integral therewith. in the present case these protuberances are in the form of domes, so that each sheet of the forms is adapted to form a sheet of fibrous material with corresponding domes or cups. The number and arrangement of these cups or domes may be varied, and, the sheet may take other forms and. have other projections or irremilarities in its surface, the form shown being merely illustl'ative, and repre senting means for making sheets with recesses or holders therein adapted to be used for the packing of eggs or other fragile articles. Each face of the drum has a forming sheet fixed thereon, and at the edges of each face and centrally located are guides 23 in the form of a Y with the prongs or arms extending on diverging lines beyond the face of the drum, so that the rods connecting the links of the endless carrying chain, and on which the conveying forms are pivoted, will engage between the arms of the guides and be held in position thereby while in coincidence with the forming dies.

The endless carrier consists otparallel. sprocket chains 24 running over idle sprocket wheels 25, 2G, 27, 28 and 29, inwardly projecting bars 30, on which the form carriers 31 are pivoted, by means of their lateral tubular extensions 32 receiving said bars, and the conveyiiigforms proper 33 with protuberances 34c thereon corresponding in size and contour to those of the forms 20. The carrier is propelled by the sprockets 17 and 18 engaging the chains 24, so that the speed of the carrier is the same as the speed of the drum eriphery, and the forming and conveying ies or forms will coincide exactly when brought together. The drum is adapted to be rotated by means of a power belt or other power transmitting means operatively connected with its hub, directly, or indirectly. It is obvious, however, that the carrier may be driven, in any suitable manner, and the drum rotated thereby. The heads of the drum may be sealed in any suitable way, so that the air can pass into or from the in terior thereof only through the foraminous forms onits periphery. Fixed to the upright frame member t at one side and end of the machine is a guide 35 for the convoy ing forms with an outwardly turned upper end 35', so that as each carrying form descends at that end of the inachine,-it will be increase thereby. As it turns to travel horizontally again it is turned to inverted horizontal po-' sition by the guide 36, fined near the bottom of the 1 nine member 4. The effect of this reversal of the conveying forms is to cause the dried sheetsof each to fall therefrom, as the said sheets in passing from the drum around to that point are subjected to the drying action of heated air or some other drying medium, and no longer adhere to the forms. This expulsion of the sheets is insured by the shock caused by the striking ot the frame 31 of the form. against the guide 35 and then against the guide 36 to invert the form, but it desired air blast or suction may be applied in any desired manner to the forms at this point for the removal of the sheets, or mechanical means may be employed for that purpose.

At the opposite end of the machine the carrier forms turn by their own gravity to substantially horizontal position, after receiving the sheets from the drum, and carry the sheets through the drying area with hottoms down, so that they cannot be accidentally dislodged. The sheets, however, while wet, and until substantially dried will adhere to the forms, and conform thereto, so that these carrier forms not only act as carriers, but as forms to hold the sheets in sh'ape and insure against warping, curling or other deforming action. The guide 37 extending from the post 5 inwardly serves the purpose of preventing the forms from rocking and assuming positions other than horizontal as they turn over the sprocket 27 to pass along the horizontal stretch of the carrier.

its the formed sheets on the drum rise from the bath,- they are turned first to vertical and then to inverted positions so that any liquid carried up thereby will fall to the bottom of the drum, where it will be carried oil by the suction heads. As they approach the top of the drum, the conveying forms, travelling toward the drum close with the forms on the drum and compress the sheets. The weight of the endless chain is considerable, and it is held under tension, so that the pressure of the conveying forms on the sheets is sufficient to substantially reduce all irregularities of the latter and ress all loose or projecting fibres into the ody of the sheet and render the surface of the sheet smooth. This pressing action also has the efi'ect of expelling a considerable quantity of liquid. As the forms pass downwardly from the top of the drum they have a tendency to separate, from their lower edges upward, and when an air jet in the presence of suction is applied to the upper edge of the descending forms from the interior of the drum and a jet or blast of air without suction to the lower end, each sheet will be separated from the form of the drum and carried off by. .th

e conveying form. This will take place without the use of mechanical means, which, however, may be employed if desired.

Those familiar with the construction and operation-of machines of the character described will understand the essentials of the details of construction and arrangement notthe chain and the teeth mustcorrespond in dimensions carefully.

In the modification shown in Figure 6 the construction of the drum ,and carrier are substantially the same, except that the periphery of the drum 28 is circular, and the carrier 39 is preferably made continuous by having the edges of "the foraminous sheets brought close together,'or overlapped, and the carrier, after leaving the drum, passes down over idle sprockets 40 and 41 beneath the drum and the tank, then up through the drying compartments 42, over suitable sprockets and down beneaththe same, where it is inverted, by passingpver the sprocket 43 and where the sheets are removed by gravity, assisted by an air blast box 44, and wound on a roller 45, the chain returning again to the top of the drum over suitable sprockets, by which it is' also inverted again.

Various changes in the details of construction and operation may be made within the scope of the present improvements. Thus the drum may have any desired number of faces and each face may have thereon any desired number of forms and be arranged to receive any desired number of forms of the carrier. The relative sizes and propor tions of the drum and carrier, and of other parts, may also be varied and the carrier may be of suflicient length to pass back and forth through a drier, as indicated in Fig ure 6, or in any other manner. This is also true of the forms, which may be arranged as shown or in inverted or other position.

The guides also may be constructed and arranged to act in a different manner on the carriers to guide them tol pjroper positions,

and any suitable meansa's a belt, apron or chute-may be used to carry off the dried sheets, discharged from the carrier, whether said sheets. are in separate pieces or in acontinuous web or sheet. 1

I claim:- 1. In a device of the character described,

a rotary liollow member, means for main-v taining suction on the interior thereof, forms carried on the exterior of said member, an.

endless carrier, forms complemental to the forms on the hollow member carried thereby, an operative connection between said hollow member and said carrier whereby they are caused to move in unison, said car rier mounted and arranged to pass over said hollow member and in contact therewith with said forms of both in engagement, said carrier having reaches extending away from said hollow member to and through a drying .zone and returning to said member, and

means for removing sheets of material from said hollow member and causing them to adhere to said carrier on the separation of said member and carrier.

2. In a device of the character described, a rotary hollow member, forms carried on the exterior of said member, an endless carrier,- forms colnplemental to the forms on the hollow member carried thereby, an operative connection between said hollow memto move in unison, said carrier mounted and arranged to pass over said hollow member and in contact therewith with said forms of both in engagement, said carrier having reaches extending away from said hollow member to and through a drying zone and returning to said member, and means for removing sheets of material from said .1101- low member and causing them to adhere to said carrier on the separation of said member and carrier.

3. In the device specified in claim 2 the said carrier arranged to move upwardly toward and over said hollow member and downward away from the same.

4. In the device specified in claim 2 the forms of said carrier being under pressure due to the weight and tension of the carrier as they pass over the formsfof said hollow member.

5. In the device specified in claim 2 the forms of said carrier being under pressure due to the weight and tension of the carrier as they pass over the forms of said hollow member and the said carrier being supported on said hollow member while passing thereoven.

6. In ed 'la'ination Withlthe device specitied in Giana-:2 guides mounted on said hollow member and projections on th arrier in fixed relation to said carrier for, s adapted to engage said guides as they pass over the hollow member. A v

7. In combination with the mechanism .of claim 2 guides mounted apart from said hollow member along the path of said carrier constructed and arranged to cause rockher and said carrier whereby they are caused and rotating therewith and flexibly con neeted links engaged by said toothed member and secured to said carrier forms.

9. In the mechanism speciiied in claim 2 said operative e unection comprising; a toothed member fixed to the hollow n'ieinber and'rotating therewith and flexibly connected links engaged by said toothed member and secured to said'rarrier terms and said carrier forms being; pivotally mounted.

' 10. in the mechanism specified in cla m 2 said carrier terms being mounted to have rocking movement.

ll. in the mechanism specified in claim 9 said carrier terms being mounted to l are rocking movement and means .lor causing and controlling said rocking movement.

12. In a device of the character described the combination of a hollow rotary drum, l'oraminous forms mounted thereon, an endless flexible carrier mounted in lined relation thereto, toraminous .t'orins complemental to the forms of the drum mounted on said carrier, the carrier being; mounted to travel toward, over and away from said drum and back again to the same and means for causing the forms of said members to register with each other as said carrier passes over said drum.

13. In a device of the character described the combination of a hollow rotary drum, foraminous forms mounted thereon, an endless flexible carrier mounted in fixed rela tion thereto, foraminous forms complemental to the forms of the drum mounted on said carrier, the carrier being mounted to travel toward, over and away from said drum and back again to the same and means for causing the forms of said members to register with each other as said carrier passes over said drum, and for causing pressure between said forms at said time.

14. In a device of the character described the combination of a hollow rotary drum, for-aminous forms mounted thereon, an enclless flexible carrier mounted in fined relation thereto, foraminous forms complemental to the forms of the drum mounted on said carrier, the carrier being mounted to travel tomird, over and away from said drum and leach again to "the same, and means for causing the forms of said members to register with each other as said carrier passes over said drum, and for causing pressure between said forms at said time, said means comprising rotary members on lined axes engaging said carrier and holding the same under tension.

iii. The herein described method ol forming. pressing, drying and discharging non plani'lorni sheets of librous material which consists in subjecting rigid 'hn'anlinous Forms to suction while passing through a bath containing loose libres and causing said iibres to form a sheet thereon, removing said sheets from the bath on said lorins, passing other vforms over said rigid forms and compressing said sheets between said two forms, then separating the said forms while subjecting said sheets to air pressure greater on one side than the other and thus causing them to adhere to and pass oil with the second 'l'orms, conveying said second terms with the sheets thereon to and through a drying medium, and then moving said forms to expel the said sheets therefrom.

16. In the process specified in claim 15, inverting said forms in the last operation.

1?. in the mechanism specified in claim 12, said carrier forms being mounted to have rocking movement and being also ar ranged and mounted to rock to a position in which the sheets are superposed thereon on moving bodily away from the drum.

18. ln the mechanism specified in claim 12, said carrier tlorms being mounted to have rocking movement and being also arranged and mounted to rock by their own gravity to a position in which the sheets are superposed thereon on moving bodily away from the drum.

"Witness my hand this 12th day of July, 1926, at the city othlew York, in the county and State of New York.

MORRIS KOPPELMAN. 

